Cornus alba is a red stemmed shrub used widely for landscaping purposes. It is an introduction from Europe/Asia, thought to have occurred in 1741. (Rehder) A particularly popular variety has variegated leaves. The white margins of the leaves make it distinctive. Variations do occur in the size of the leaves and in the width of the white (or ivory) margin. This may account for the differences in nomenclature. It is known by an assortment of botanical names, as follows:
Cornus alba `Elegantissima`: Hillier Dictionary of Plants. PA0 Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata`: Rehder & Dirr & Hortus III. PA0 Cornus alba elegantissima variegata: Rehder & Hortus III. PA0 Cornus alba variegata: Rehder. PA0 Cornus alba `Sibirica Variegata`: Hortus III.
The current usage seems to favor Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata`. Out of a block of Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata` (C.A. `Elegantissima`), I discovered a plant that was growing a fraction of the height of the balance of the Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata` plants. I propagated this unique plant to see if it would retain the dwarf characteristics as well as the variegated foliage of the parent plant.
The first sport was propagated as softwood cuttings in Madison, Ohio, in June of 1992, with 90% rooting. These original cuttings become the plants which would serve as the parent stock for early cutting material. Subsequent softwood cuttings have exhibited high rooting success (90-98%) using common practices, under a misting type system. Hardwood cuttings have been used as propagation material with equal success. Ocassionally, a propagated plant will convert to the more aggressive growth of the parent plant. This has occurred less than 1% of the time. These reverted plants are easy to distinguish and cull out because of the greater stem length (internodal dimensions, see Table 1 that follows). Rooting has been successful without any application of rooting hormones. It is believed that any standard practice that is successful with any Cornus alba would be successful with this new selection. Plants of this new selection that have rooted and are grown on for five years continue to exhibit the dwarfing characteristics of the original mother plant.
Having grown this new cultivar along side Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata` for five years, it exhibits the same hardiness, which is Zones 3-7 according to the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. All other horticultural characteristics with the exception of those described below are the same as Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata`.
The uniqueness of this new cultivar is that of a small compact growth habit as compared to its parent plant, Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata`. It retains the ornamental characteristics of the parent plant, namely the white-edged, variegated foliage that makes Cornus alba `Argenteo-marginata` popular. The characteristics of `Staltouch` make it particularly suitable for planting against darker plantings, e.g., Taxus, in rock gardens, as surround plants around specimen trees, etc. The plant's distinguishing characteristics are described in detail below.